Tamper-proof carton



March 15, 1960 c. F. KLEIN TAMPER-PROOF CARTON Filed March 26, 1958INVENTOR. CLm e/Yce F Ate/ v flrroP/YEY "III/11A 2::-

TAMPER-PROOF CARTON Clarence F. Klein, Hartsdale, N.Y., assignor to TheLord Baltimore Press, Incorporated, Baltimore, Md., a poration ofMaryland Application March 26, 1958, Serial No. 724,078

6 Claims. (Cl. 229-43) The present invention relates to an improvedcarton of rigid tamper-proof construction adapted for the packaging ofproducts such as card mounted items or similar articles. The presentinvention provides a relatively inexpensive and attractive cartonadapted for the counter display of articles, and at the same time itprovides a rigid package which is neither readily folded nor otherwisetampered with so that customers are prevented from accidentally orintentionally removing articles from the package at the counter or fromfolding secreting it about their persons.

In order to provide such a package, it is desirable to have one formedof a relatively stiff paper board and also one which is easily loadedand sealed' on automatic or semi-automatic machines. Previously, suchpackages were made of relatively flexible material in an envelope form,and although these packages were satisfactory for most packaging anddisplay purposes, their easy accessability and flexibility made itdifiicult for sales people to prevent unintentional damage to or theftsof the carton contents by customers.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide animproved carton.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a relativelyinexpensive carton of relatively stifi construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton which isreadily sealed initially and unsealed thereafter but which cannot beresealed after its initial opening.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glued, rigidpackage whose rigidity is comparable to that of a set-up carton.

appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein willoccur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention inpractice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposesof'illustration and description and is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the carton blankof the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view partially cut away of the sealed cartonformed from the blank of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the carton in position forfilling;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the partially sealed carton showing twotop flaps folded into their sealed position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 showing the third topflap folded into sealed position; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 5 and 6 CUP the packageand 25 r States Paten 2,928,582 Patented Merlines 6. One of theremaining side panels 3 has a top ings or another generally flat articleindicated at 11. The article 11 is placed against the bottom 2 andwithin the.

flap 7 connected thereto at the scored fold line 8, and the remainingside panel 3 has an upper top flap 9 connected thereto at the scoredfold line 10.

As seen in Fig. 4, the carton is loaded by first folding the sidepanels3 and the interconnected toppanels" 5,

7,' and 9 upwardly generally vertically from the bottom panel 2. Thismay be done by hand, although it preferably is done mechanically byplacing the blank 1 in a suitable pocket having vacuum suction outletswhich draw the carton into the pocket and which erect theside panels 3and the top flaps 5, 7, and 9 to their generally vertical position asseen in Fig. 4. In this position the carton is loaded with the productsuch as carded stockside panels 3. The top flaps 5, 7, and 9 are nowfolded downwardly over the article 11 in any order; however, thepreferred folding sequence is illustrated in Figs. 5,

6, and 7. Top flaps 5 are first folded downwardly againsti the cardedproduct, and thereafter the top flap 7 is folded downwardly against thetop flaps 5 so 'that the angularly cut portions 12 and 13 of the topflaps 5 and 7,;respectively, are brought into abutting engagement: andso that the portions 12 and 13 are disposed in a single layer, as seenin the sectional view in Fig. 3. The

narrow portions 5 of top fiaps 5 will be beneath the widest portion 7'of top flap 7 which presents a smooth surface on the sealed carton asseen in Fig. 2. The top flap 9 is now folded downwardly over the topflaps 5 and 7, and it is detachably connected thereto. A preferred meansof attaching the top flap 9 to the top flaps 5 and 7 is illustrated inthe drawings; In this method a printedo'ver portion 14 is provided onthe top flaps 5 and 7 having open areas 15 therein. Prior to the foldingdown of the top flap 9, a glue strip 16 is applied thereto by a' meanssuch as glue roller 17. When the top flap 9 is folded against the topflaps 5 and 7, the glue strip116 overlies the printed-over portion 14and the clear por-.

tions 15 are attached to the top flap 9. The glue which engages theprinted-over portion 14 is preferably a waterbased one which adheresonly lightly or not at all except j. at the clear portions 15 so that aspot-glued fastening results. A detachable connection is thereby formedbe tween the top flap 9 and the remaining top flaps, which is readilybroken when opening the package and which is, at the same time,difiicult to reclose without detec tlon. Other spot gluing techniques oreasily opened fas tenings may be used. In order to facilitate theopening" of the-package, a pull-tab 18 is formed at the free edge f ofthe top flap 9 by the perforated score line 19 .The sealing of thepackage may be" performed by hand; however, it is also adapted forautomatic closing on a conveyor-type sealing machine wherein suitablefolding bars, kickers, presser bars, and glue wheels may be used in theusual manner to fold the flaps into their sealed position in sequence.As is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, the glue strip 16 may beformed by suitable gluing wheel 17 as the partially folded blank 1 ismoved by a conveyor past the folding bars and kickers.

By having the abutting portions 12 and 13 of the top flaps 5 and 7 in asingle layer, a relatively tight joint is and at the same time thesealing of the package is faciliw tatc d asthe printed-over portion 14'and the glue strip 16 overlap one another along a relatively flatsurface. Since the carton is formed of paper board, suitable aperturesor windows] may be provided in the bottom panel 2" or the other panelsto display the contents Without. weakening; the carton.

i It will be. seen that an improved,. attractive and tamper- As variouschanges may be made in the: form, construction and arrangement .of 'theparts herein without departing from thespirit and scope of the inventionand "customer after he has. inspected or tampered i the; contents. i

, said zone is spacedfrom the free edge of said fourth top flap oppositeits attached edge, and said fourth top flap ha'sa weakened score lineintermediatesaid zone and said free edge to define a pull tab. v

4. A blank for a folding carton comprising a piece of paperboard cut andscored to form a four-sided bottom panel, side panels connected at oneedge to each' side of 'said bottom panel, a top flap connected at anoppoisiteedge of each side panel, a pair of said top flaps without.sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to beun-V,

derstoodlthat all; matter herein is to be interpreted as il.-,

lilstrative and notina limiting; sense.

-.Havingthttsv described my invehtiongl. claim:

ILA. folding carton'comprising a cardboard; b1ank.

cut; scoredfand folded to-iorm, a founsided bottom panel,

- sidepancls connected atone edge to each side. e f-said bottom panel;atop flap connectedat an opposite-edge of eacli side panel, a -pairottsaid top-fiapson opposite.

- side'panels each. having aflap abuttingportiononrits'free, l

edgefoppositet to .its attachededge, saidf abutting par-s edge of thetopflap, a third top. flap having a pair of abntting'portions on its freeedge opposite to its attached ed'ge, said. pair of abutting surfacesbeing locatediinterme diate the'ends of the free edge and disposed at anangle to each, other and-to the attached edge of the third topflap, saidpair of top flaps and said third top. flap being folded into partiallyoverlapping: relationship with the abutting, portions of each of. saidpair of top flaps abutting one of the abutting portions-ontsaidthird-top;

flap-anti with all of said abutting portions disposed. in

the same plane, and the fourth topflapbeing ,folded against said othertopflaps. and. fastened: to each adjacent to' their abutting portionsalong a 'zone; extending. across: the coplanar portions of said. pairofl top flaps and said third top flap whereby a. tight seal is providedadjacent to the: overlapped portions of said; pai'rgof topflaps and saidthird top flap. V

,2. The folding carton as claimed in 1 in which: each of said, abuttingportions of said third top flap is:

tibns" being located intermediate the ends ofi tthe fr -e edge anddisposed at an angle with respect to the attached on oppositeside panelseach having a fiap abutti'ng portionon its free edge opposite to itsattached edge, said abutting portions being located intermedate the endsof the free edge and disposed atan angle with respect to the attachededge of the top flap, a thirdstop flap having a pair of abuttingportions on its free edge opposite to its attached edge, said pair ofabutting surfaces being located intermediate the ends of the free edgeand disposed. atanangle to eachother and to the attached edge ofthethird top flap, said pairof top flaps and said third top flap being.adapted to be folded into partially overlapping relationship with theabutting portions of each of said pair of. top flaps abutting one of theabutting portions onsaid third top flap and with all of said abuttingportions disposed in the sameplane, and the fourth top flap adapted forbeing folded against said other top flaps and fastenedto each adjacentto their abutting portions along a; zone extending across the coplanarpo tions of said' pair of top flaps and said third top flap to formattight seal adjacent to theoverlappedportions of said. pair of top flapsand said third top flap.

"5; The, blank as claimed in claim. 4' which further comprises aweakened score line across said fourth top spaced from its free edge andadapted to form a pull t br side panels connected at one edge toeachside of said bottom panel, a top flap connected atan opposite edgeofeach side panel, oppositetop flapsbeingfolded to ,partially underlie athird top flap whereby atightly sealed container may be providedpossessing two adjacent reinforced corners, each of said opposite topflaps having a .free edge abutting a free edge of said third top flapwhereby abutting. edges of adjacent top flaps may lie substantially. in.one: plane to. provide a tight seal, and the fourth top flap beingfolded to at least partially overlie each of said other top flaps andbeing removably fastened: thereto adjacent to their abutting edges, saidequally 'spacedfrom the connection between the third. top? flap-Land;its. attached side panel, and; the fastened. zone whereby the fourth topflap is fastened. to each of the other top flaps is generallyparallel tothe connection? between thethird top flap and. its attached side panel.

3. The folding. carton as claimed in claim; 2 in which fonrthtopflap-,being'fastened to: each of the other top] flaps along azonegenerallyparaHel to theconnection. between the third top flap-andits attached side panel,

said zone lying in an'area which. is snbstantiallyin one plane. so: asto permit more efiective sealing;

References Cited in thel file'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I{773,814 Sho tts Nov.-1, 1904 2,259,822" Kienlen V Oct. 21, 1941 FOREIGNPATENTS 8,I93' Great Britain May 4, 1916 6., folding carton comprising acardboard blank cut, scored, and folded'to form a four-sided bottompanel,

